Loss of Immediacy

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When you and your audience do not share the same space, the sense of connection is reduced. When you deliver a speech face-to-face—especially in a typical classroom setting—audience members are closer to you physically. They can observe your eye contact and sense your movement. Such actions create “interest and warmth between communicators.”11 Conversely, when you and your audience are in different locations, you will both feel less of a psychological link.12 In a less natural environment, speakers face greater challenges establishing credibility and building common ground.13 You may also feel less of a bond with your audience when presenting to a camera, which can feel like “presenting into the void.”14